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Never underestimate the rate of coaching turnover in the SEC. Before the season, I foolishly thought the nation’s most rugged conference might navigate a year without any coaching changes.
My rationale: Struggling coaches like Billy Napier were a year away from a firing. Mississippi State would give the Zach Arnett experience two years. Jimbo Fisher would bounce off the mat. Nick Saban had a few years left to coach.
Oops.
Two firings and a retirement later, and the SEC experienced a typical amount of coaching transition. An even livelier twirl of the carousel awaits next season. We’ll put the hot seat on the back burner for now, while I grade how well schools filled their vacancies this offseason.
Alabama
Who’s out? Nick Saban, retired
Who’s in? Kalen DeBoer, from Washington
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No perfect candidate existed in this moment to replace Saban. I think Saban, 72, soldiering on for a few more years would have best-case scenario for Alabama. But, it never was going to be a perfect time to replace the irreplaceable. Alabama did as well as I could have expected.
TOPPMEYER: Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama football no match for transfer portal’s power
Within hours of Saban’s retirement announcement, I suggested DeBoer should be target No. 1. So, of course I think Alabama made a good hire, even if he faces extraordinary pressure. DeBoer is a career winner. His X’s and O’s acumen is proven. DeBoer will face realities, like athlete free agency and NIL, that Saban did not encounter for most of his career. DeBoer must show he can recruit in the SEC’s no-holds-barred world. He’ll require unprecedented support from Alabama’s NIL collective.
Texas’ Steve Sarkisian perhaps would have been the one candidate I favored over DeBoer. Sarkisian is a quality coach, a tenacious…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/grade-sec-football-hires-alabamas-110013407.html
Author : The Clarion Ledger
Publish date : 2024-01-21 11:00:13
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